Two found guilty in FAMU hazing trial

Jurors didn't reach verdict on 3 others

12:20 AM,
Dec. 16, 2006

Leon County Sheriff's Deputy Debbie Giangrosso, left, tries to pull a handcuffed Michael Morton away from kissing his fiancee as he and Jason Harris, center, are being led to the Leon County Jail after being found guilty of hazing.

Written by

Chitra Subramanyam
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

After deliberating for more than six hours Friday, jurors in the Kappa Alpha Psi hazing trial came back with a mixed verdict. They found Michael J. Morton, 23, and Jason D. Harris, 25, guilty on charges of hazing. The verdict was unanimous.

However, jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the other three defendants: Brian K. Bowman, 23; Cory A. Gray, 23; and Marcus B. Hughes, 21. Circuit Judge Kathleen Dekker declared a mistrial in their cases. The five were arrested April 10 after Marcus Jones, a former sophomore at Florida A&M University, said he was beaten during a series of Alpha Xi ...